Root [HOW-TO] Download and Install CM7 to Run Off SD Card

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thanks for these instructions, they worked great! My only issue is that I can't seem to access all the space on the card.

When I look at it with MiniTool Partition wizard, it sees all the partitions including the 13 gigs of unused space, but when I just look at the sd cards properties with Windows, it sees much less and I can't load more then a few photos.

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You edited it just as I posted that. The reason that it doesn't show very much space when you put it in the computer directly is that windows will only see one partition witch is usually the boot partition.

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I installed the image with Winimage using the restore option. Then I copy the CM7 zip using the windows file explorer. When I insert it into the nook the text with the penguin appears and some lines contain errors (not enough space, etc.). After it powers off I turn it on an the stock OS appears.

Also I notice that the partition winimage creates is 130MB aprox.

What am I doing wrong? should I use create virtual disk instead of restore? which options should I choose afterwards?

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Write the image on your SD card. I tested with 2G, 4G and 8G cards and all worked.
Any uSD card of 1G or bigger in size should work if it is recognized by your nook.
Write on Windows by using WinImage (Make sure to run as administrator) or Win32 disk imager and on Linux/MacOS X by using dd (to the entire device, not one of the partitions. The device name should not have any numbers at the end. The command is something like dd if=/somewhere/generic-sdcard.img of=/dev/sdX bs=1024k)

After done with writing, eject and then re-insert the uSD card into your computer.

Download a CM build from here if you want to use a nightly (It is recommended to choose -87 nightly or later) or the newest RC 7.1. from here (This is recommended) or from here if you want the latest stable version ( I would not recommend this as people are having issues with the recovery when using 7.0.3 or below when using the 1.3 installer image if you really want to use the stable use installer image 1.2.1 available here)

Put the file to the SD card (there is only one partition). Don't change the name of the file and DO NOT unzip.

unmount the uSD card and insert it into the nook.
Boot from this SD card. It'll boot and will update you on progress.
When it's done, it'll power off.

That's it, you now have CM7 on your SD card.

How to install market and gapps:
After you have booted into the CM7 on SD card for the first time and set up wifi access (important!)
Go to Latest Version - CyanogenMod Wiki and at the end there is a table with various google apps versions. Get the one suitable for your cyanogen version (CM7 is the latest for now). The file is named gapps-....zip
shutdown your nook and take the SD card out, insert it into your computer.
Copy the gapps-... file to the SD card on the first partition (titled boot) without changing the file name.
Insert the uSD card back into the NOOK and boot into "Recovery mode" by booting normally into Android, then from desktop hold the power key until a poweroff menu appears, In the poweroff menu choose "reboot", in the next menu choose "recovery" and press "OK". The nook would reboot straight into recovery.

Easy method to install gapps
Install samuelhalff's Nook Color UMS ([APP][02/26] Nook Color USB Mass Storage utility - Mount any partition to your PC - xda-developers)
Open Nook Color UMS (Select mount sd (1) first partition)
Click Confirm
Use USB cable to connect NC to PC
Your NC should show up as a hard drive with the boot directory visible
Download gapps and place the .zip file into the boot directory
Select unmount in Nook Color UMS
Click confirm
Remove NC from cable
Hold power button down and select reboot, then recovery
gapps will install after reboot and then NC will shut down
Hold power button to reboot and gapps will be installed

How to update CM7 without taking out SD card.

Install samuelhalff's Nook Color UMS ([APP][02/26] Nook Color USB Mass Storage utility - Mount any partition to your PC - xda-developers)
Open Nook Color UMS (Select mount sd (1) first partition)
Click Confirm
Use USB cable to connect NC to PC
Your NC should show up as a hard drive with the boot directory visible
Download nightly and place the .zip file into the boot directory
Select unmount in Nook Color UMS
Click confirm
Remove NC from cable
Hold power button down and select reboot, then recovery
Nightly will install after reboot and then NC will shut down
Hold power button to reboot and nightly will be installed

How to update to a new build:
put the new build you want to try on the first partition. (the name must be update-cm-*.zip or cm_encore_full*.zip or just update-*.zip)
Boot from the SDcard in the recovery mode (see above) and the new snapshot would be installed.
The partition layout would be preserved, filesystems are NOT reformatted, so your data should be safe.

If you have a problem
Try Formating the SD card and instead of using the writing option in winimage (make sure to run winimage as administrator) use the restore virtual hard disk image on physical drive option. Also try using Win32 Disk Imager.

Best SD card for the job
The best SD card for running android is a class 4 sandisk micoSD. To learn more about why it is MUCH better than other SD cards read here
Edited from a thread at XDA.

Successfully installed with a 32 gig card. I have the nook with the blue dot. Seems like cm7 partitioned the rest of the space and made it usable. Is there any advantage to installing to the device itself? If not might just leave it like it is. If i would have realized I needed a bootable working system just to format the nook probably wouldn't have rooted at all. But I did successfully root becauase I was unaware of the problems with the blue dot nook. can't get into cwm with the bootable cm7. but copy the gapps to the boot folder installed market and gapps. might just use tb to back up my apps to other sd partition. If it crashed would probably have to recreate bootable cm7 and restore apps and data from tb. could see that not able to take an image backup might be one disadvantage.

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It downloaded just fine, but when I put the card back into the nook and went into recovery nothing happened, I am using the stable version of cm7 for the nook.

Thanks

Click to expand...

when you say "it went into recovery and nothing happened" I assume you meant "it went into recovery, I selected 'install zip from sdcard' then selected 'choose zip from sdcard' then selected the the zip file, then selected 'yes install' and THEN nothing happened" correct?

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Is there any advantage to installing to the device itself? If not might just leave it like it is. If i would have realized I needed a bootable working system just to format the nook probably wouldn't have rooted at all.

Click to expand...

Yes, there is. Ever hear of a sdcard failing? It's very rare for the internal ram (EMMC) to fail tho. Sdcards are slower, subject to failure, they're harder to update, easier to screw up (since most guides and apps expect the rom is installed on the NC).

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One was reformatted and moved from a blackberry. I have also had 2 gig SD cards in voice cell phones. So far zero percent have failed. If I had to reinstall this device because the device failed I would have to reformat another SD with cm7. Then I might consider the complicated repartitioning of my blue dot nook. Or if it doesnt crash might not consider it again till cm9 if nook color ever gets it.Updating to every nightly does not interest me. I only need to upgrade if I'm having issues. If I backed up my data once a week with TB could just recover it after reinstalling. Also some people keep saying sdcards are so much slower. To be honest I have a 32 gig sandisk SD card on all my devices I run apps from the card. Maybe a little slower but no major issues.

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Of all the cards tested (and there were a lot), the Sandisk class 4 card was the fastest for reading small randomly placed files, like you'd find when running from a sdcard. Sandisk also one of the more reliable brands. The 16 gb Sandisk card that came with my DroidX is still working after 15 months.

Faster cards, like class 10, are optimized for writing large files sequentially, like camera or video use... big difference. I purchased a 16 gb class 10 for use on my NC and it died after 5 weeks. It wasn't even used as a bootable card (which I have no use for). Browse the busier forums (like the DroidX) and you'll see 3 or 4 users a month with failed scards.

Bear in mind that the sdcard in your phone isn't used much, where a rom booted off the sdcard is used the entire time.... big difference.

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However it was kinda used a lot cause I ran multiple programs off the as card.if I had it break might be a first. If it ever does. I assume I can hold in power off nook. Then use my rooted stock till I get another one. Might have to thoroughly research formatting till I'm comfortable then do it. Darn blue dot. Need a working bootable is just to do it. Cwm woulda worked on original.

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Quick question: I initially tried to install CM7 on my Nook color using the SD card boot (have a Sandisk Class 4), using the most recent stable build and then installing gapps. No matter what, the Nook would always reboot itself at some point while I was using CM7 and the ROM would be corrupted (Nook would reboot back to stock ROM). I could always install the ROM just fine, but it would either reboot before installing gapps or shortly thereafter. Any tips on why this might be happening with the recommended Sandisk SD Card (8GB). Thanks.

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I can't even seem to write the image onto my SD card I'm using a Lexor 16gb class 4 card. I know this isn't the recommended SanDisk, but the problems people seem to be having with microSD cards seem to be speed, not writing.

I am using WinImage and a specified card reader through a USB 2.0 cord. Is there a better place to download the image file from?

In WinImage I go to the [Disk] menu and use the option [Restore Virtual Hard Disk Image on physical drive...]. From the window I select my disk which is a 15 mil KB drive. When prompted to select the image file I change the settings to see [All Files] so that it finds the file [generic-sdcard-v1.3.img]. When I do this it gives me a warning that it will erase the disk, and I click [OK]. The file seems to be working, but it always stops a 99% and gives me an error message that it does read the file [generic-sdcard-v1.3.img].

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Now I have a very basic hang-up. I've never used WinImage before (heck, it took me hours to figure out what to open the .gz file with...) and here I am with the unzipped .gz file generic-sdcard.img and I don't know what I'm doing next. I started to Create Virtual Hard Disk Image from Physical Drive and canceled it. Was that the right next step?

TIA! I'm really hoping to avoid buying a pre-loaded root card and get this done by Christmas!

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Forget about winimage. Download Win32DiskImager. For me, at least, Win32DiskImager works better. Fire it up (it requires admin rights), open the .img file, make sure that the device points to your MicroSD card, then click write. This will write the generic sdcard image to the SD card, making it bootable.

From there, put the CM7 zip file of your choice on the card (leave it zipped). Put the card in your NC, turn on the NC, and it will install CM7 on the SD card.

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Well, I have CM7 on there and gapps (at least I think - it prompted me to add my my google accounts) but it won't let me install the apps I want from the market. With Facebook or Firefox apps it tells me my device is not compatible with those items. ????

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Well, I have CM7 on there and gapps (at least I think - it prompted me to add my my google accounts) but it won't let me install the apps I want from the market. With Facebook or Firefox apps it tells me my device is not compatible with those items. ????